I have a tendency to discard books that don’t suit me. That is the beauty of getting all these books free from the Library App “Libby”. Therefore, I pretty well know I will be reading books I like, and therefore, most of my choices are rated 4 and 5 Stars in my Book List. Usually the book I am reading is my favorites as I read it. Having read 108 since March, I have to admit it is hard to remember some of books. In order to help my poor, slipping memory I began making summaries of my books. It is as helpful to me as to you. But a few really grabbed me and I can remember them far better than others. It is like choosing “best” child to pick a favorite book. However, I am going boldly out on a limb by stating: I have a favorite author. Curtis Sittenfeld.
I had never heard of Curtis Sittenfeld until I read “Rodham” last fall. “Rodham” is a fictionalized biography of Hillary and Bill Clinton, only Hillary decided to say “no” to Bill’s pleas to marry him. I loved that book (#27 on my Book List) and immediately looked for other books by the author (who I thought was a man). I should have known it was from a woman’s pen. Her easy and natural way of storytelling hooked me. The witty, romantic, passionate relationship versus Bill’s determination and quest for political power, and her desire to make her own mark as in social justice, makes this decision to compromise too difficult for Hillary. She goes it alone.
“American Wife” (#28) has some of the similar qualities of “Rodham” as it is loosely based on the Laura and George Bush relationship. She took greater care to disguise this fictional account from the true story than she did with “Rodham”, in which she used real names and places. In “American Wife” the names and places are disguised while the events are so similar to the Bush’s story it is pretty easy to figure out. In this story we see the quiet, astute librarian meets the boisterous, wealthy son of a politically driven family. Despite their differences he intrigued her with his attention and she fell for him. Her happiness changed to becoming overwhelmed as he made his way into the White House.
The theme is one of contrasts of two people of different backgrounds, personalities, wealth, political views, in a beautiful and compassionate portrait of a family in the throes of public life. There is so much to like about Sittenfeld’s writing that I feel I do not do her justice. I don’t know where I have been to have missed reading Curtis Sittenfeld, but I have found I have five more books to read of hers. I can’t wait!
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